WEYMOUTH TROPICS 55

TRES BARRILES PREDATORS 45

WEYMOUTH Tropics shone in the Southern League Under-16 play-off final as they beat Tres Barriles Predators 55-45.

The Tropics came out running in the first quarter, moving the ball well on the break with good finishing from Eoin Goring and Bruce Florentino.

Predators fought back through a jump shot from Aaron Pascual as Tres Barriles limited Weymouth to a 14-7 lead.

That advantage was extended to 29-17 with four more points from Goring and three from Louis Weaver.

But the outstanding Daniel Fawell-Molloy outscored Weymouth 10-2 in the final four minutes of the half with some great moves to the basket, cutting the Tropics’ lead to 31-27.

Weymouth’s defence proved crucial during the third quarter as Weaver and Goring blocked shots inside, with the guards pressuring the Predators’ own guards into mistakes.

Field goals from Henry Ackerley and Florentino, plus a free throw by Bradley Morgan, gave the Tropics a big 45-31 lead having won the third quarter 14-4.

A Tres Barriles time-out enabled the Predators to re-group and baskets from A Swinyard, Justin Dizon and a three from Cearon Bridgewater reduced Weymouth’s lead to 51-40 with three minutes left.

Tres Barriles finished strongly, scoring the final five points through Dizon and Fawell-Malloy, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Tropics avenging their 60-54 regular season defeat to the Predators.

With 22 points and several rebounds, the MVP award went to Goring.

n Eoin Goring 22, Louis Weaver 11, Bruce Florentino 10, Bradley Morgan 4, Russell Florentino 4, Henry Ackerley 2, Kieron Scott 2, Kevin Tissera, James Cotson.